Raising- and lowering



Oct. 2,1923.

v F. M. CASTLEMAN RAISING AND LOWERING COAL CHUTES INVENTORI Filed May 22. 1922 Qiflf A L ATTORNEY Patented Get. 2, 1923.

near era-res v attain earaar FRANK IVE. GLASTLEMAN, OF ROTHEBHAIK,

ENGLAND, assrenon, BY MESN-El assren MENTS, T THE UNION SWITCH. &- SIGNAL COMPANY, 03 SWISSVALE, lENN-SYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. i i

RAISING Ali-ID LOWERING ooeL cnn'rns.

Application filed m 22,

which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention. relates to-coal chutes and the like, and has for its object to provide improved arrangements for effecting the raising and lowering of the chute to discharge the coal'or other contents into a tub,

' truck, or other'receptacle.

The invention is illustrated in-the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a viewin side elevation partly diagrammatic of a coal chute provided with raising andlowering mechanism arranged in accordancewith oneform of the invention,

Figure 2 being a view thereof in'encl elevation.

Referring now to thedrawings it will be seen that the chute 1 consists of'a lattice girder structure pivot-ally mounted at one end thereof as indicated at12 on asuitable framework or staging 3 arranged above the track rails 4: for the tubs or trucks 5 to be pressure the supply of-which is controlled by means otan electro-niagnetically actuatedvalve 9, the ram or plunger of thedevice being arranged at a suitable level verticallyabovethe discharge end-7 of the chute-1", the casing or cylinder 11 of the rain or plunger 10 "being pivotally mounted as indicated 'at- 12' so asto enable the ram 10 which is pivotally connected at 13- to the discharge encl 7"of*th echute; to followzthe arcof movement of the chute;

The: chute 1' is arranged=-' to be moved to its: upper orraised" positionin whichit is 1922. Serial no. 562,927.

above and clear of the tub or truclr'5 by means'ot a pair of ropes 14 one end" of each of which is connected at 15 to suitable points in the chute 1, the other end of each rope 14 passing over'a pulley 16 mounted upon a horizontalshaft 17atfs ub stantially the level of the pivot 12 ot' the ram cylinderll and provided with a-suit able balance or counter-weight '18? The horizontal shaft 17 above reterredto is also provided with a brake drum 19 rigidly, secured to the shaft 17 as shown in Figure 1', theclrum 19 vbeing. provided witha brake block 20 adapted to be moved into engage ment with the drum 19-so as to prevent or retard the rotation of the latter. by means o'fa suitable weight 21, which is securedt'o i.

one end of alever 22 the'opposite; endot" releasedfrom the drum l9'by meansofa device ,,2t actuated by fluid under pressure actuated brake valve 25;

The balance or counter-weight 18 is preferably equal to the comb-ined weight of the chute 1 and ofthe coal carrie'dbythe con veyer belt 6 forming part of the chute,zso that when the conveyer'belt 6' is empty the chute 1 tends to be raisedby the action of the balance or counter-weight -18 to its upper position, whereas when the conveyer belt'6 is carrying-coal the:weight of theloaded chute is approximately counter-balanced; T-he' circuits of'theelectromagneticall v actuatedvalve 9 controlling the supply of; fluid under pressure to'the ram device 8-, hereinafter termed ,the ram valve and of" they valve 25 controlling the supply of fluid under pressure for releasing the brakes, hereinaftertermed the brake'valve, are arranged toobe controlled by means of fan' operators switch 26 having two operativeand controlled by an electro-magnetically 31 to the negative terminal of the battery. 27. As a result, fluid under pressure is sup plied both to the ram casing 11 and to the device 24 for releasing the brake block fromthe drum 19. The ram or plunger 10 is thus" moved downwards carrying with it the discharge end 7 of the chute 1 so that the coal carried by the chute is discharged into. the tub or truck 5 below, the brake block 20, being released from the drum 19 during this movement. 7

When, on the other hand, the operators switch 26 is subsequently moved to the raising position R a circuit is completed from the positive terminal or", the battery 27 con-.

ductor 28, switch 26, conductor 32, which includes a suitable resistance 33, conductor 30, the energizing winding of the brake valve- 25, conductor 31 to the negative terminal of the battery 27. As a result, the brake block. 20 being released from the drum 19 the chute 1 rises under the action of the balance orcounter-weight 18 to its uppermost position.

ators switch to the of? position 0 during either of these operations the coal chute 1 can evidently be held stationary in any desired position intermediate its raised and lowered positions.

It will be understood that when the actuating magnets of the ram or brake valves 9, 25, are de-energized these valves permit the release of fluid. from the'ram casing 11 or from the casing of the device 24 controlling the brake, so that these devices are inoperative.

In order to prevent any possibility of a tub or truck passing under and engaging with the coal chute 1, when in its lowered position a safety switch 34 may be provided adapted to be automatically operated by an approaching tub or truck and to complete an independent circuit from the battery 27 by way of conductors 28,35, 36, through the energizing winding of the brake valve 25, so as to permit in'these circumstances the brake block 20 to be released from the drum 19 thus causing the chute 1 to rise to its upper position under the action of the balance or counter-weight 18. 7;

Furthermore, in order to prevent the coal chute 1 from being supplied with coal by means of the conveyor belt (Sgt hen the chute 1 is in its raised position a second switch 37 actuated by the chute 1 when in this position may be arranged to open thecircuit of the electric motor driving the. conveyor belt 6 sothat unless the chute be in its lowered position the belt 6. is not driven to supply coal to the chute.

The constructional arrangements above described may evidently be modified in various respects without exceeding the scope of the invention.

I'ILVlIlg now particularly described and By moving the opcr vice for operating said braking mechanism,

and electromagnetic means for controlling .said fluid pressure devices.

3. In combination, a movable counterweighted chute, normally effective braking apparatus, a fluidpressure device for rendering such apparatus ineffective, and manually operable means for c ontrolling'said de vice.

1. In combination, a movable counter weighted chute, normally effective braking apparatus, a fluid pressure device for rendering such apparatus ineffective, and electro-magnetic means for controlling said device.

5. In combination, a movable counterweighted chute, normally effective braking apparatus, a fluid pressure device for rendering such apparatus ineffective, electromagnetic means for controlling said device, and manually operable means for controlling said electroemagnetic means.

6. In combination, a pivoted chute, a pulley, a counterweight, a flexible member passing over said device for connecting said counterweight with said chute, a friction brake normally biased into a position wherein movement of said pulley is prevented, a fluid pressure device adaptedto move said brake mechanism against such bias into a position wherein motion of said pulley is permitted, and electro-magnetic means for controlling said device.

7. In combination, a pivoted chute normally biased to an upper position, a fluid pressure device for at times moving said chute to its lower position, a brakingmech anism for holding said chute in any given position, a second fluid pressure device for controlling said brake and manually opercontrolling said fluid pres-.

chute in any given position, and means for I controlling said braking mechanism in accordance with movement of said receiver.

9. In combination, a pivoted chutefor dis.

charging material to a movable'r-eceiver and biased to an upper position, means for at times moving said chute to a lower position, braking mechanism for holding said chute in any given position, and means operative when such receiver approaches said chute, to release said braking mechanism.

10. In combination, a pivoted chute for discharging material to a movable receiver and biased to an upper position, means for at times moving said chute to a lower position, braking mechanism for holding said chute in any given position, a contact adapted to be operated when such receiver approaches said chute, and "electro-magnetic means controlled by said contact for releasing said brake. I

11. In combination, a pivoted chute for discharging material to a movable receiver and biased to an upper position, and com prising a movable conveyor belt, means for at times moving said chute to a lower position, and means-for operating said conveyor belt only when said chute is in its lower position.

12. In combination, a pivoted chute biased to one position, a fluid pressure device adapted when supplied With fluid pressure to move said chute to a different position, a first electromagnetic valve adapted when energized to supply fluid pressure to said first fluid pressure device, a braking mechanism normally effective to hold said chute in any given position, a second fluid pressure device adapted when supplied with fluid pressure to release said braking mechanism, a second electro-magnetic valve adapted when energized to supply fluid pressure to said second fluid pressure device, a manually Operable switch comprising two contacts either one of which may be closed at will; an electrical circuit including a source of energy, said first electro-magnetic valve, said second electromotive; valve, and one of said contacts; and a second electrical circuit including a source of energy, said second electro-magnetic valve and the re maining said contact.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 

